3. Sage
3
SAGE
I wake to the gentle sway of a train car, my eyes fluttering open to adjust to the soft amber glow of overhead lights. Plush red seats stretch in neat rows before and behind me, the aisle carpeted in a deep burgundy. Outside the windows, an inky darkness presses against the glass.
"Where...?" I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper. Confusion settles over me like a heavy blanket.
My fingers brush against the soft fabric of my clothes. I look down, surprised to find myself wearing a simple, shimmering gown instead of my wedding dress. The material seems to shift and change as I move, catching the light in impossible ways.
A polite cough draws my attention. A stewardess stands in the aisle, smartly dressed in a crisp uniform of charcoal and gold. Her smile is pleasant, but her eyes... I can't quite place what's off about them. They seem to swirl with an inner light, like galaxies trapped in glass.
"Would you care for any refreshments, miss?" she asks, gesturing to a cart laden with an assortment of snacks and drinks. I notice that some of the items look familiar–chocolate bars, bags of chips–while others are completely alien, pulsing with strange colors and occasionally moving of their own accord.
I stare at her, then at the cart, then back at the stewardess. "I... where am I?"
The stewardess's smile doesn't waver. "I think you know, miss."
A chill runs down my spine. Memories flicker through my mind: the wedding, Joesiah's betrayal, the trial, the executioner's ax...
"No," I whisper, my hands flying to my throat. I feel no wound, no pain, but the memory of cold steel is vivid and terrifying. "No, no, no. This wasn't supposed to happen."
The stewardess tilts her head, her expression a mixture of sympathy and amusement. "And yet, here we are."
I shake my head vigorously, as if I could dislodge this reality. "This is impossible. I can't be... I'm not..."
"Dead?" the stewardess supplies helpfully. "I'm afraid that ship has sailed, my dear. Or rather, this train has left the station."
My breath comes in short, panicked gasps. I look around wildly, searching for an escape, a way out, anything. That's when I notice the pull cord above the windows.
Without thinking, I lunge for it, yanking it hard. "Next stop!" I shout. "I need to get off at the next stop!"
The stewardess doesn't try to stop me. She simply watches with that same enigmatic smile. "As you wish," she says softly.
A shrill whistle pierces the air, and the train begins to slow. The darkness outside the windows starts to thin, revealing glimpses of a landscape I can't quite comprehend. Impossible colors swirl in the mist, and shapes that defy geometry flash by.
"Ladies and gentlemen," a disembodied voice announces. "We are now arriving at Platform 66. Please mind the gap between the train and the platform. And remember, time is an illusion, so don't bother checking your watches."
The train grinds to a halt with a hiss of steam and a screech of brakes. The doors slide open, revealing a platform shrouded in mist. Beyond that, I can make out the vague outlines of buildings and moving figures.
I hesitate at the threshold, my heart racing–or is it? I realize with a start that I can't feel my heartbeat at all.
"Well?" the stewardess prompts gently. "This is your stop, miss."
I take a deep breath out of habit and step off the train. The mist swirls around my ankles, cool and slightly electric. As I move further from the train, the world around me begins to take shape.
The platform fades away, replaced by cobblestone streets. Buildings loom on either side, their architecture an impossible blend of styles from every era. People–if I can call them that–move about, their forms shifting and blurring at the edges.
A sign materializes in front of me, the letters rearranging themselves as I watch:
WELCOME TO THE AFTERLIFE
Population: ∞
"Enjoy your eternal stay!"
I stare at the sign, then at the bizarre world unfolding around me. The realization hits me like a physical blow: I'm really dead, and this... this is what comes after.
"Well," I mutter to myself. "I guess I'm not in Kansas anymore."
As if in response, a creature that looks like a cross between a cat and a shadow slinks past my feet, turning to give me a Cheshire grin before disappearing into the mist.
I take another unnecessary breath and square my shoulders. I'm Sage, a hexeblood and master alchemist. I've faced challenges before. I can figure this out.
With that thought, I take my first real steps into the great beyond, ready to explore this new, impossible world.
The cobblestone street stretches out before me, winding its way through a cityscape that defies logic. Buildings twist and turn, some floating in mid-air, others phasing in and out of existence. The sky–if it can be called that–is a swirling mass of colors I've never seen before, punctuated by what look like stars but move like living creatures.
As I walk, I notice the other... inhabitants. Some look human, or at least humanoid. Others are beyond description, forms that my mind struggles to comprehend. A group of translucent beings float by, engaged in animated conversation in a language that sounds like wind chimes and crashing waves.
"Excuse me," I call out to a passing figure that looks mostly human. "Can you tell me where I am?"
The figure turns, revealing a face that's a patchwork of different features, as if assembled from multiple people. "You're here," it says simply, its voice echoing strangely. "Where else would you be?"
Before I can respond, it melts into a puddle and slithers away.
I continue down the street, my confusion growing with each step. The buildings seem to shift and change as I pass them. A Gothic cathedral morphs into a futuristic skyscraper, then into a medieval castle. Street signs appear and disappear, pointing to destinations like "Memory Lane," "The Void," and "Bob's Metaphysical Diner–Best Existential Crisis in Town!"
In the distance, I spot a flickering neon sign. As I focus on it, the letters become clear:
SLIM'S LAST CHANCE
The sign hangs above what looks like a bar, its windows glowing with an inviting warmth. For a moment, I consider heading towards it. Something about the name tugs at me, a sense of familiarity in this sea of strangeness.
But before I can make a decision, the screech of brakes draws my attention back to the train station. Another train has arrived, its sleek form materializing out of the mist.
Curious, I make my way back to the platform. The new train is different from the one I arrived on. It's more modern, almost futuristic, with smooth lines and windows that seem to ripple like water.
A conductor steps out, his uniform a shimmering blue that seems to contain galaxies. His face is kind, with eyes that hold the wisdom of eons.
"Excuse me," I say, approaching him. "Can you tell me where this train goes? What's beyond... all this?"
The conductor turns to me, a knowing smile playing on his lips. He gestures broadly, encompassing not just the train but the entire surreal landscape around us.
"Beyond?" he says, his voice resonating with a depth that seems to echo through time itself, then he shrugs. "That's for each soul to discover on their own journey."
I open my mouth to ask more questions, but the conductor holds up a hand. "The only way to truly know is to embark on the journey yourself. But remember, every journey here is unique. Your destination might not be the same as another's."
With that cryptic statement, he turns and boards the train. A whistle blows, and the train begins to move, fading into the mist as if it never existed.
I'm left standing on the platform, more confused than ever but also... intrigued.
As I turn back to face the bizarre city, my gaze is drawn once again to the flickering neon sign of Slim's Last Chance. Something about it calls to me, promising if not answers, then at least a starting point for my journey in this new existence.
Taking a deep breath–still unnecessary, but comforting in its familiarity–I start walking towards the bar. Each step feels more certain than the last. I may not know what this afterlife holds for me, but I'm determined to face it head-on.
After all, I've already died once. What's the worst that could happen now?
As I approach the sounds of laughter and otherworldly music drift out into the street. I pause at the entrance, my hand hovering over the door handle.
Then I push open the door and step inside.